The weather has been cold the past few days in the Kansas City area. I awoke this morning to the first real frost of the year. As I sit here sipping my coffee, thinking of travel, I remember back to the first time I had hot chocolate in Europe. It was 2004. I had spent a few days in Münich sampling beers, and then taken the train to a mountain resort town called Bled, Slovenia. The air was cold in the Julian Alps, and so I popped into a little café for something warm.
I didn’t know much of the Slovene language, but I was able to negotiate the conversation well enough to determine that the waitress recommended hot chocolate for the day. What I got back was not Swiss Miss instant with little marshmallows floating on top. In my cup was a thick, smooth liquid with a spoon beside it. I put the cup to my lips and tilted back.
Instead of following the path of least resistance to my stomach, the liquid chocolate crawled across my tongue and down my throat. I couldn’t believe what had just happened. I took another sip and lingered in the experience. I took my time with the rest of the drink, and as it cooled, I learned what the spoon was for. Still warm, the chocolate could no longer be drunk. Like a pudding, I spooned the rest of the rich, dark chocolate in to my mouth, and then I ordered another.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Hot Chocolate in the Julian Alps
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6 comments:
Sounds incredible... What does a trip like that cost?
The trip that included Germany, Slovenia and a brief stop in Austria, was an expensive trip. I was there for 12 days, so it really added up. The air fare was around $800. I don't know what the hotels cost because the person who invited me said, "Hey, you want to go to Slovenia with me? I'm going to have to pay for my hotels anyway, so if you just pay your airfare and other costs, I'll cover the hotel." That helped me out immensely.
lol. did you know that chocolate was banned in switzerland for many years. read this
That's hilarious. I never heard that.
I would not do well in a chocalate prohibition. If chocolate is wrong, I could never be right.
That was a great description of the experience, but I also get the sense that no matter how hard I try and how well you write it, I could never imagine the full experience.
Then it is decided: we shall go to Slovenia for hot chocolate. You take care of the airfare, your friend buys the lodging, and I will buy the hot chocolates.
Jeff and I are talking about another European tour, but I doubt I can get the same deal again. This time we are looking at traveling along the Alps from Zurich to Vienna with a couple stops in between.
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